Air-tight and moisture-proof paper receptacle.



No. 7|0,5|3. Pafcented Oct. 7, I902.

L. G. REYNOLDS. AIR TIGHT AND MOISTURE PROOF PAPER RECEPTABLE.

(Application filed Nov. 6, 1901.)

(No Model.)

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I 17)7z'frzesses fiwenfar' iffaivz by v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEWIS G. REYNOLDS, OF DAYTON, OHIO.

AIR-TIGHT AND MOISTURE-PROOF PAPER RECEPTACLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 710,513, dated October '7, 1902.

Application filed November 6, 1901. Serial No. 81,299. (No model.)

To (LM/ whom, it WWI/y concern.-

Be it known that I, Lnwrs G. REYNOLDS, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Dayton, county of Montgomery, and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Air-Tight and Moisture-Proof Paper Receptacles, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

My invention relates to that class of paper receptacles in which provision is made for so closing the receptacle that the contents of the package may be kept air-tight and impervious to moisture.

The purpose of my invention is to provide a simple, cheap, and durable paper box that may be effectually closed up to prevent the deteriorating effect of the air and moisture on the contents of the package and at the same time provide a package which can be opened to remove a part of the contents without destroying or affecting the method of reclosing the package, so that the most unskilled user can repeatedly open and close the package and yet be able to maintain the freshness of the contents and prevent the entrance and injurious effects of air and moisture until the contents of the package are entirely removed or consumed. Paper boxes that have heretofore been employed for this purpose and which have usually been intended to contain products of the bakersuch as crackers, cakes, and the like and various forms of cereals which are affected by the air and moisturehave been so arranged that when the package is once broken open it is no longer possible to reclose it as it originally was. The contents of such packages are ordinarily used by the consumer in small quantities, and they are not intended to be withdrawn all at once, so that heretofore as soon as the package has been once opened the effect of the original closing has been entirely lost. Myinvention, therefore, is particularly directed to supplying a package which can be opened and closed at will without destroying or in any way affecting the means for reclosing it, so that the beneficial effects of the airtight and moisture-proof arrangement can be maintained throughout the use of the package.

In the drawings, Figure .1 is a perspective view of my package with one end open. Fig. 2 is a similar View with the inner lining partially closed. Fig. 3 is a cross-section of the package in perspective. Fig. 4 is a perspective View of the inner lining closed. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of my package fiat for shipment and storage.

In constructing my air-tight paper box I first construct an innershell of suitable cardboard A, creased so as to fold into a rectangular open case and secured along one edge by gluing and forming the inner walls of'the box. Around the outside of this shell is then secured bygluing an interlining of suitable flexible paper, which either may or may not beparaffined. This flexible paper lining extenesbeyorfd the inner walls a sufficieut distance at each end to permit of multifolding in the manner to be hereinafter described, and the overlapping edges of the'paper lining are glued together so as to form a paper case open at each end, but closed against the passage of air and moisture through the sides. This interlining may be an integral sheet of paper, as shown, or separate pieces secured at each end to form the paper case, andit is not essential that the lining should inclose the inner portions of the receptacle. Around the outside of this inner shell and flexible lining Ithen secure my paper box 0 bygluing. This paper box for its sides is preferably of a size sufficiently larger than the inner walls A and interlining B to fit snugly around them and is provided with end flaps D D to fold over each other at the ends and the outside flap E provided with a tongue F to be inserted along one of the sides to close and lock the box.

In order to close up the contents of the package, the interlining paper case which extends outside of the edges of the box is drawn to-,

gether and folded over, as shown in Fig. 2, and is refolded over and over until drawn together tight and flush with the ends of the package, as shown in Fig. 4. This gathering together and folding and refolding of the interlining etfectually closes against air and moisture the contents of the package, as will be readily understood. The flaps of the cover creased and set in its folds, and, after being are then folded down and the package is ready for shipment. In this folding and refolding the interlining the inner shell A forms an important function, as it serves as a brace at the edges of the box, against which the lining may be tightly drawn. If the lining B were merely secured to the inner surface of the box 0, the draft of the paper as it is refolded would tend to pull it away from the box, and without the shell A it would not be practicable to obtain an even flush folding of the interlining. In addition to this the presence of the inner shell leaves a space within which the flaps of the cover can be inserted to lock the top and bottom of the box. The special importance of the inner shell A is, however, to form this brace for the interlining against which it may be folded, and in performing this function it is of course only essential that the inner shell shall extend around the inner surface of the box Within the interlining at the top and bottom edges of the box where the folds of the interlining are to be made, and therefore this inner shell could be made in two parts, making merely an inner rim at top and bottom without any shell at the inner portions of the box. When the inner shell is mentioned in the present specification, it is to be understood to be capable of these two constructions.

The packages themselves when empty for storing and shipment are flattened out, as shown in Fig. 5, in which condition they occupy very little space.

In the package I have illustrated both ends are made exactly alike, and when the box is being made ready for reception of the contents one end of the interlining is first folded and refolded, as described, and the external box is closed at that end, and then the goods placed in the box at the other end. In opening the box to extract the contents the interlining is simply unrolled at either end and opened without destroying it in any way, and the most unskilled user can then refold the lining into its original position and the contents of the package will remain closed against the entrance of air and moisture as long as may be desired. The package after being once filled and closed by the operator at the factory or bakery, the interlining becomes opened by the user, the most unskilled person can easily and readily return it to its original condition, as the flexible paper naturally retakes its previous folds and creases. This is especially true by reason of the fact that the package is angular in cross-section, so that the interlining extending out beyond the walls of the package in an unbroken condition, this interlining being of the same shape and cross-section as the package, the interlining can be folded and refolded, as described, to form a uniform lining-cover which can be smoothly folded flush with the top of the package.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is a 1. A paper package angular in cross-section provided with double walls,a lining therefor of suitable flexible material intermediate the walls with unbroken extensions adapted to be interfolded to form the lining-cover, and the outer walls of the package having flaps, adapted to overlap upon the lining-cover to close the package, substantially as described.

2. A paper package angular in cross-section, provided with double walls, a lining made of a single sheet of suitable flexible material, intermediate the walls, and forming extensions beyond the walls of the package,

said extensions adapted to be interfolded to 7 form a lining-cover for the package, and the outer walls of the package having flaps, adapted to overlap upon the lining-cover to close the package, substantially as described.

3. A paper package angular in cross-section, provided with double walls, a lining made of a single sheet of suitable flexible material intermediate the walls and forming ex.- tensions beyond the walls of the package, said extensions adapted to be interfolded to form a lining-cover for the package, and the outer walls of the package having flaps, adapted to overlap upon the lining-cover, with tongue on one of the flapsinserted between the walls of the package to lock the cover in place, substantially as described.

LEWIS G. REYNOLDS.

Witnesses:

H. E. PALMER, XV. L. CATEN. 

